Saving Private Ryan impact of the opening scene Essay Example

Saving Private Ryan impact of the opening scene Paper Saving Private Ryan is a film that was made in 1998. It has an impressive line-up that includes people such as, Stephen Spielberg as director, who has since directed other hugely successful films like King Kong and Lord of the Rings. Also there is Tom Hanks a very popular American who plays Captain John H. Miller the main character, in this Historical Drama, he has also taken part in some other hugely successful movies. Stephen Spielberg has decided that in this film he would go against the traditional conventions of other war film genres, and to use some other very effective techniques to create the atmosphere of war. He used techniques such as using a desaturated colour in the film to create the effect that you werent just simply looking back on History, but as if you were actually there and as if you were at threat of being shot! Back in those days all televisions were black and white therefore the news on the television would also have been in black and white, this shows us that the film is not just a made up story, but that these thing actually happened. We will write a custom essay sample on Saving Private Ryan impact of the opening scene specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Saving Private Ryan impact of the opening scene specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Saving Private Ryan impact of the opening scene specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The threat of you feeling as though you are really there fighting the war, and being scared of the opposition shooting you is also exaggerated by the use of hand-held cameras. This helps as it can show how the camera is shaking with being so scared aswell as the physical shaking of the ground from explosions. Plus, the camera is violently moving to show the chaos and how everybody is constantly on guard. Stephen Spielberg also creates a realistic nature during the battle scenes, he does this by showing the battles from both the Germans point of view, who are simply mowing down row after row of Americans, and the Americans point of view who are just desperate to avoid the constant shower of bullets. Showing this helps the audience to see how small the soldiers chances of survival are in such a big battle. There are four scenes in the opening battle sequence of the film. The first is The transition from present to past. In this scene realism is achieved by created an emphasis on the music, this is exaggerated further by using a military style of music. The music used for waking the men in the battle fields. The emphasis is created on the music by not using any dialogue. There are long shots of the massive number of graves that are in lines, this shows that there was huge numbers of deaths. This all happens as the family are walking towards the grave, but then as they reach the graves and the man kneels down the music continues but the camera gradually zooms in from a Medium shot on the man to an extreme close-up on his face. It ends up with just the mans watering eyes. From the watering eyes you can tells that obviously something horrific happened or his may have remembered something that is sad. Then as the camera stays focused on the eyes the music stops and you hear the thundering noise of crashing waves. This crashing leads us to think that there is going to be a build up to something. After this the camera changes to a close-up of a shaking hand. This shows how the person is very scared of what is coming. Also there are people throwing up showing us that they are extremely nervous and scared and are therefore getting sea sick. There is still no dialogue to emphasis watching what is being shown, how scared people are and that isnt going to be a pleasant memory, also the use of no sound creates tension. The second scene is the instant chaos as the soldiers arrive at the beach. This is shown by a sudden burst of guns being shot and bombs exploding, as the first soldiers jump off the boats. Also the soldiers are jumping of the boats and being shot before they hit the water, this shows how small a chance of survival there is. The German perspective is also shown, it shows the rows after row of Americans being shot down with machine guns, this shows how vulnerable the Americans were. Colour also plays a big role in this scene; grey skies are used to show the depressive feelings, and the camera colour is very much black and white, with the brightest colour being red, this is an effective way of showing the large amounts of blood. Throughout this scene there is a constant flood of bullets everywhere even underwater, this shows us how nowhere is safe at battle. The third scene is the initial reaction of Captain Miller. Initially Captain Miller becomes completely confused, this is shown in lots of different ways throughout the scene. Slow motion and muted sound is used to show how he doesnt really have a clue about what is going on around him, as well as the muted sound shows how he has almost gone deaf from the loud racket of firing guns. Shots of him looking in lots of different directions explains to us that he is confused, and is looking for help or for someone to tell him what to do. Millers point of view shots are also shown, they can tended to be blurred with some shots of horror, showing he is scared. There is a lot of screaming and shouting, but most of it you can not understand, this shows that his thoughts are just a big blur. The fourth scene is the end of the battle. Everything becomes more clear. You can hear the waves; this exaggerates that the noise of the battle has gone. The music slows down, this shows us that the chaos has ended. There is another extreme close-up on Millers eyes. This helps us see that he is in deep thought. The sea is also shown as being really red this shows how there is a lot of blood. There is a long shot of all of the bodies as the camera moves up the beach showing the huge numbers of killings. Then there is a close-up on an individual dead American, this helps us to see that there werent just huge numbers of mass killings but that there were huge numbers of individual killings. In conclusion I believe that Stephen Spielberg definitely succeeded in creating a shocking and realistic atmosphere. I believe that the most effective way that he did this was by using handheld cameras to create the feeing that you were there, this was extremely shocking as you could easily feel how scared the soldiers were. Also there was a high rate of death shown throughout, which helped the audience to see that there was a very small chance of survival. This really makes you think about scary it would be to have to go to war. It also is effective in making you want to watch more! I think Stephen Spielberg does a really good job with this film.

Klansman and Dictator essays

Klansman and Dictator essays The Ku Klux Klan was very prominent and active in Southern Illinois in the 1920s. Many head officials and authorities were sympathizers of the Klan or part of the Klan themselves. However, one might ask how the Klan rose to such a high position in this area of the country during the time period, especially in the town of Herrin, Illinois. Because the Klan promised many different improvements to the people of Herrin, the Klan was able to control the town as its own and was accepted as ultimate authority. In 1923, when the KKK rose to power in southern Illinois, their beliefs were eye to eye with the townspeople. Both were primarily Protestant, and both hated and resented immigrants, especially Italians who drank wine and made up twenty percent of Herrin s population. Among the Klan rose fear of all who were not Protestant, calling all other religions crazy. Patriotism was also a key element of the Klan in post World War I era, and hatred for immigrants from Europe was popular and in full force. The Klan slogan of 100 percent American became a common saying and allowed others to take out their misfortunes on the immigrants. Because of a similar religious and cultural background and an overwhelming patriotism, the Klan was able to prosper in southern Illinois. After the passing of the 18th amendment, Prohibition, crime was at an all time high. Bootlegging, gambling, and prostitution were common, especially at roadways and other secret hideouts. Gangsters such as Charlie Birger and the Shelton Brothers enjoyed extreme power and were often above the law due to bribes and corruption. The crime ring seemed to center around Williamson County, Illinois, and the townsfolk grew restless as it struggled continuously to control it. In spite of this drastic problem, the Klan offered a simple and swift solution. They proposed that a series of raids would take place under federal authority, and stop all ille...

A Kindergarten Lesson Plan for Teaching Non-Standard Measurement

A Kindergarten Lesson Plan for Teaching Non-Standard Measurement Class: Kindergarten Duration: One class period Key Vocabulary:Â  measure, length Objectives:Â  Students will use a non-standard measure (paper clips) to measure the length of several objects. Standards Met 1.MD.2. Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit end to end); understand that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps. Limit to contexts where the object being measured is spanned by a whole number of length units with no gaps or overlaps.​​​ Lesson Introduction Pose this question to students: I want to draw a big picture on this piece of paper. How can I figure out how big this piece of paper is? As students give you ideas, you can write them down on the board to possibly connect their ideas to the lesson of the day. If they are way off in their answers, you can guide them closer by saying things such as, Well, how does your family or the doctor figure out how big you are? Materials One inch paper clipsIndex cardsPieces of 8.5x11 paper for each studentPencilsTransparencyOverhead machine Step-By-Step Procedure Using the transparency, the index cards, and the paper clips, show students how to work end to end to find the length of an object. Place one paper clip next to another, and continue until you have measured the length of the card. Ask students to count out loud with you to find the number of paper clips that represents the length of the index card.Have a volunteer come up to the overhead machine and measure the width of the index card in paper clips. Have the class count out loud again to find the answer.If students don’t have paper clips already, pass them out. Also, pass out one sheet of paper to each student. In pairs or small groups, have them line up the paper clips so that they can measure the length of the piece of paper.Using the overhead and a piece of paper, have a volunteer show what they did to measure the length of the paper in paper clips and have the class count out loud again.Have the students try to measure the width of the paper on their own. Ask students wha t their answers are, and model for them again using the transparency if they arent able to come up with an answer that is close to eight paper clips. Have students list 10 objects in the classroom that they can measure with a partner. Write them on the board, students copy them down.In pairs, students should measure those objects.Compare answers as a class. Some students will be way off in their answer- recheck those as a class and review the end-to-end process of measuring with the paperclips. Homework and Assessment Students can take a small baggie of paperclips home and measure something at home. Or, they can draw a picture of themselves and measure their body in paper clips. Evaluation As students are working independently or in groups, measuring the classroom objects, walk around and see who is needing help with the non-standard measures. After they have had repeated experiences with measurement, choose five random objects in the classroom and have them measure those in small groups so that you can assess their understanding of the concept.

Guy Body Image Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Guy Body Image - Research Paper Example As a result, the society is forced to try to attain the physical unattainable perfection as featured prominently in the mass media (Government of Western Australia 1). The influence has been significant in as indicated in various researches. For example, a study carried out showed that looking at fashion magazines for a moment lowered the self-esteem of over 80 percent of women (Government of Western Australia 1). The media have failed to acknowledge that both males and females come in all different shapes and sizes. Therefore, the representation of one body type as being ideal is unrealistic (Government of Western Australia 1). This leads to adoption of harmful behavior to both males and females as they try to attain the images depicted on the media. Moreover, the worry about body image has also manifested in males. There have been an increasing number of males under pressure to maintain a high level of fitness and physical perfection. As a result, most males have been spending most of their money and times in gyms, beach, and sporting clubrooms. Moreover, they have adopted some strange feeding habits, and use of drugs to enhance body image (Government of Western Australia 1). Media have a profound impact on the female body. The influence is usually rampant to the teenagers. The media have led to the notion that the value of women is based on the outward appearance (Serdar 1). The images depict an impractical standard of feminine beauty (Serdar 1). This in the end has a powerful influence on the way women view themselves. According to the view of the mass media, thinness is considered perfect, and a key thing for women to be attractive (Serdar 1). The figure has been commonly highlighted through various ads. Such images in the ads, television, and music portray the perfect woman (Serdar 1). Moreover, the media have been full of images of females that possess these unique attributes. As a result, this makes it usual

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Psychology - Essay Example There is an innate urge to acquire satisfaction at the physical and physiological levels. The physical needs of humans are to acquire adequate shelter, food, clothes, education, health, and prosperity. The psychological needs seek to acquire independence and autonomy through the development of various competencies and skills (Bridges, 2004). The humanistic approach argues that individuals strive to use their experiences and circumstances to develop particular beliefs and values. Self development occurs when the individual is able to have confidence in personal feelings and qualities. It is the natural desire of human beings to achieve contentment and realization so that objectives can be met. The formative years help children to develop behaviors and actions that are taken from parents, siblings, friends, and teachers (Bohart, 2001). The child desires to have recognition and appeal so that an inner satisfaction can be generated. Rogers argued that the gaps between the ideal and real conditions create psychological problems. These problems can hinder the mental and physical development of individuals. It creates obstacles that prevent the individual from achieving contentment and satisfaction in life. Implicit memory is a term used to describe the subconscious motivation that helps in the accomplishment of goals and objectives. The subconscious process is guided through individual experiences in a systematic and logical manner. Implicit memory seeks to understand the intrinsic and innate processes that help human beings to perform tasks in an efficient and effective manner (Roediger, 2003). It can be empirically analyzed and assessed by using a psychological technique called priming. This technique introduces test subjects to specific incentives and motivators. The stimulus can either be visual, auditory, or imaginary but it produces the desired result. An individual will be able to perform a task using subconscious processes. This strategy helps individuals in developing a number of skills and competencies. A number of tasks can utilize implicit memory that is beneficial for human beings. The process of reverse reading or completing jigsaw puzzles is examples of implicit memory (Chun, 2000). The individual uses subconscious experiences in order to accomplish such tasks. Other tasks could include processes that require the intricate analysis and assessment of new problems. Explicit memory requires the use of conscious in order to complete certain tasks. It requires high levels of awareness and perception in order to achieve the desired results. However implicit memory utilizes subconscious memories and processes to complete tasks. Reber argued that implicit memory can help individuals to gain satisfaction and contentment with the surrounding environment. It can play a crucial role in the acquisition of complex skills and competencies (Chun & Phelps, 2000). Change Blindness Change blindness refers to situations in which individuals cannot identify modifications and alterations in the visual environment. Barriers and obstacles retard the ability of the human eye to accurately monitor changes in the environment. Visual short term memory (VSTM) can induce change blindness in a number of ways. The human being might make a visual error by failing to accurately record the changes in the en

Higher Education Essay Example for Free

Higher Education Essay The tasks of the ENIC/NARIC offices in Denmark, Sweden and Norway include work on issues related to education from India. All three offices receive applications and questions concerning recognition of education from the country both from institutions, representatives from the labour market and other stakeholders. The number of applications and enquiries are growing. All three countries have relatively large populations of persons of Indian origin settled in their countries, Denmark about 4,300, Norway 7,000 and Sweden 13,600 (2005). A need to learn more about the country and especially the system of education has been felt for some time. The most important motivation for a study tour was to facilitate the work of giving advice concerning education from India and daily credential evaluation work. In addition to this, the Nordic ENIC/NARIC offices wished to achieve closer future contact and cooperation with different educational organisations in India. The visit was planned and implemented in cooperation with the Norwegian Embassy in India, the Nordic Center, both located in New Delhi, and the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) in Bangalore. The main focus was to gather information about the educational system in the country; the financing of education, information about public and private education and how they are governed; how the authorities plan and implement quality assurance work (QA), and how the institutions deal with these challenges. Information about future plans for education in India was also of great interest. The delegation visited the University Grants Commission (UGC), the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the Association of India Universities (AIU) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) as well as various institutions of higher education. The first two organizations mentioned are responsible for the higher education sector while the rest of the boards and councils organise and work with the development and maintenance of intermediate and secondary education, technical education and teacher education. The study tour was planned as a joint visit by the ENIC/NARIC offices in Denmark, Sweden and Norway to both India and Pakistan from 24 September to 6 October 2005. The delegation consisted of 8 representatives. Report Structure The report is based on information and impressions which the delegation obtained during the study tour. Information was also gathered from sources such as the websites of the organisations and institutions visited and from agencies including the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) in Australia, World Education Services (WES) in the USA, IAU and UNESCO/IAU among others. At several places in the text, sources have been specifically mentioned. An additional list of sources can be found in the appendices. 3 The report describes the system of education in India and the quality assurance system. Chapter 1 introduces the administration of the school system and the organisation of primary, secondary and higher secondary education, while Chapter 2 provides information about technical and vocational education. Chapter 3 outlines the system of higher education by reviewing the institutional structure with a discussion of both public and private education. Information on degree structure and grading systems is included, as well as examples of some bachelor degree programmes. In Chapter 4, teacher training at higher secondary level and at university level is described. Chapter 5 presents India’s response to globalisation in the higher education sector. The last chapter deals with the quality assurance work in education, both at secondary and higher level. Impressions and reflections about the education system and how it functions are incorporated into the report in frames where appropriate. Country Profile India is one of the world’s oldest civilisations, dating back to 2,500 B. C. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded the country in about 1,500 B. C. ; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursion starting in the eighth century and Turkish in the twelfth century were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late fifteenth century. By the nineteenth century, Great Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru helped end British colonialism through non-violent resistance. India achieved independence in 1947. The Republic of India was established in 1947 and comprises 32 states and Union Territories, the latter controlled by the central government. The country covers about 3. 3 million square kilometres with a population of 1. 029 billion and dominates southern Asia. It is slightly larger than one-third the size of the United States. India is home to 17% of the world’s total population, accommodated in an area that is 2. 4% of the world’s total area. India has the world’s twelfth largest economy and the third largest in Asia behind Japan and China, with a total GDP of around $570 billion. Services, industry and agriculture account for 50. 7%, 26. 6% and 22. 7% of GDP respectively. The United States is India’s largest trading partner. Bilateral trade in 2003 was $18. 1 billion. There are some 16 official major languages and 844 dialects. Among these languages, English enjoys associate status, but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication. Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people. The other official languages are Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit. Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language. Hinduism (80. 5%), Islam (13. 4%), Christianity (2. 3%), Sikh (1. 9%) are the major religions in the country. The literacy rate is 52% (of the total population of age 15 or older). 4 Chapter 1 General Education. Administration of Education The central and the state governments have joint responsibility for education, with freedom for the state governments to organise education within the national framework of education. Educational policy planning is under the overall charge of the central Ministry of Human Resource Development which includes the Department of Elementary Education and Literacy and the Department of Secondary and Higher Education. The Ministry is guided by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) which is the national level advisory body. The education ministers of all the different states are members of the board. The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) (1961) defines the National Frame Curriculum for classes I XII. It also functions as a resource centre in the field of school development and teacher education. State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) are the principal research and development institutions in all the states. At secondary level, school boards at state level affiliate schools and set examination standards in accordance with the national framework. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) cover all India besides the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). National Policy on General Education Under the national constitution, education was a state matter until 1976. The central government could only provide guidance to the states on policy issues. In 1976 the constitution was amended to include education on the concurrent list. The initial attempts of designing a National Education Policy were made in 1968 but it was only in 1986 that India as a whole had a uniform National Policy on Education. The National Policy on Education 1986, modified in 1992, defines the major goals for elementary education as universal access and enrolment, universal retention of children up to 14 years and substantial improvement in the quality of education. The National Policy of Education of 1992 also aims at vocationalisation of secondary education and greater use of educational technology. The policy has been accompanied by several programmes such as the District Primary Education Program (DPEP) launched in 1994 and the National Campaign for Education for All (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) launched in 2001/2. A proposed bill on the right to education (draft, November 2005) stresses the right of all children from age 6 until their 15th birthday to receive elementary education either in school or non-formal education (NFE). The Indian government is preparing the universalisation of secondary education (USE). The main aim is to provide high quality secondary education to all Indian adolescents up to the age of 16 by 2015, and senior secondary education up to the age of 18 by 2020. 5 Crucial problems in India are teacher absenteeism, noted by UNESCO in 2005; high teacherpupil ratios; and inadequate teaching materials and facilities, particularly in rural areas. At the other end of the scale, children attending urban schools, especially middle and upper class children in private schools, are subjected to extreme competition from a very early age in order to qualify for admission into the best schools. In 1979-80, the Government of India, Department of Education launched a programme of Non-Formal Education (NFE) for children of 6-14 years age group, who cannot join regular schools drop-outs, working children, children from areas without easy access to schools etc. The initial focus of the scheme was on ten educationally backward states. Later, it was extended to urban slums, and hilly, tribal and desert areas in other states. Source: UNESCO: India, updated August 2003 and Annual Report 2004/5, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (overview). Newsletter, October-December 2005, International Institute for Educational Planning, UNESCO. Learning without Burden, NCERT, 1993, reprinted 2004. Annual report 2004/5, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (annexes). School Education. A uniform structure of school education, the 10+2 system, has been adopted by all the states and Union Territories (UTs) of India following the National Policy on Education of 1986. Elementary school, Class I – VIII, is recognised as the period of compulsory schooling, with the Constitutional amendment making education a fundamental right. A majority of the states and Union Territories (UTs) have introduced free education in classesI-XII. In states/UTs where education is not free for classes IX and above, the annual fee varies considerably. The pre-school covers two to three years. The elementary stage consists of a primary stage comprising Classes I-V (in some states I-IV), followed by a middle stage of education comprising Classes VI -VIII (in some states V-VIII or VI -VII). The minimum age for admission to Class I of the primary school is generally 5+ or 6+. The secondary stage consists of Classes IX-X (in some states VIII-X), and a senior secondary stage of schooling comprising classes XI-XII in all states. In some states/UTs these classes are attached to universities/colleges. The number of working days of school education in a year is generally more than 200 days in all the states/UTs. Participation in primary and secondary education The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), which indicates the number of children actually enrolled in elementary schools as a proportion of child population in the 6-14 years age group, has increased progressively since 1950-51, rising from 32. 1% to 82. 5% in 2002-03, according to statistics published by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in India. The rate of increase in GER of girls has been higher than that of boys. The dropout rate at the primary level (Classes I-V) declined from 39% in 2001-02 to 34. 9% in 2002-03. However the GER only covers 61% of children from classes VI to VIII. 6 In 2002/3 the dropout rate was estimated at 34. 9% at the end of lower primary classes and 52. 8% at the end of upper primary. The dropout rate was 62. 6% at the end of secondary school (Class X). There are wide disparities among the different states in the number of children completing primary and secondary school from less than 20% to more than 80%, according to the central statistics from the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Source Selected Educational Statistics 2002-03. Provisional. Ministry of Human Resource Development, India Annual Report 2004/5. Ministry of Human Resource Development, India Secondary Education. Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (information on the Departments website) National Curricula The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) formulated the first Curriculum Framework in 1975 as a recommendation to the individual states. NCERT was accorded the responsibility of developing a binding National Curriculum Framework through the National Policy on Education (NPE) (1986). NCERT reviews the curriculum every five years on the basis of consultations within the whole school sector. The core areas of the curriculum are common. Teaching of English is usually compulsory in classes VI-X in most of the states/UTs. NCERT published a New National Curriculum framework in 2005. The New National Curriculum will be introduced in textbooks in three phases: Phase one, 2006-07: classes I, III, VI, IX and XI. Phase two, 2007-08: classes II, IV, VII, X and XII Phase three, 2008-09:classes V and VIII NCERT has gradually been changing the curriculum from traditional information provision to be more learner-oriented and competence-based. National Curriculum Framework 2000 The National Curriculum Framework 2000 operates with the concept of the Minimum Levels of Learning (MLLs) identifying certain essential levels of learning for each stage of school education. Pre-primary education The National Policy on Education defines the objective of early childhood care and education (ECCE) as being the total development of children in the age group 0-6 years. Early Childhood Education (ECE) or pre-primary education (2 years), part of the ECCE, shall prepare children for school. Teaching at this stage, according to the National Curriculum Framework, comprises group activities, play–way techniques, language games, number games and activities directed at promoting socialisation and environmental awareness among children. Formal teaching of subjects and reading and writing are prohibited. However, NCERT strongly criticised the actual pre-school programmes for exposing children to structured formal learning, often in  7 English with tests and homework, in the introductory notes to the new National Curriculum Framework 2005. The competition for the best education starts at a very early age. Newspapers from September 2005 in India report of tremendous pressure on three-year old children being prepared by their parents for nursery interviews and competing with a huge number of other children for places in the most prestigious private pre-schools. The newspapers report on private persons/institutes that offer help to parents in preparing their children for nursery interviews. Other newspapers report the need for psychological support for children having developed speaking difficulties after having been exposed to onerous preparation by their parents for nursery interviews. Primary education At the primary stage, emphasis is on the process of understanding, thinking and internalising. The National Curriculum contains the following subjects: Subject Language(s) Lower primary Classes I-II The mother tongue/regional language Lower primary Classes III-V The mother tongue/regional language Upper primary Classes VI-VIII. Three Languages — the mother tongue/the regional language, a modern Indian language and English All kind of creative activities including the childs own creations Essentials of mathematics for every day activities, including geometry Art education Mathematics Art of healthy and productive living Woven around the world of the learner Creative education, health and physical education, work education, value inculcation Integrated approach Environmental studies Health and physical education Science and technology Social sciences. -Work education Integrated approach to music, dance, drama, drawing and painting, puppetry, health and physical education, games and sports, yoga and productive work Experiences to help socio- emotional and cultural development with a realistic awareness and perception of phenomena occurring in the environment Games and sports, yoga, NCC and scouting and guiding Key concepts across all the disciplines of science, local and global concerns Social, political and economic situation of India and the world, including Indian cultural heritage. Academic skills social skills and civic competencies Agricultural and technological processes including participation in work situation Source: National Curriculum Framework 2000 8 In all language education programmes, the stress is placed on the ability to use the language in speech and in writing for academic purposes, at the workplace and in society in general. The duration of a class period may be around 40 minutes and, according to NCERT, the school year should be a minimum of 180 days, and â€Å"†¦A primary school should function for five hours a day out of which four hours may be set aside for instruction. For the upper primary and secondary schools, the duration of a school day should be six hours out of which five hours should be kept for instruction and the rest for the other routine activities. † Secondary education (2 years, grades IX-X) In grades IX-X the scheme of studies should include the following subjects: three languages (the mother tongue/the regional language, a modern Indian language and English), mathematics, science and technology, social sciences, work education, art education, health and physical education. Foreign languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Russian, French, German, Arabic, Persian and Spanish may be offered as additional options. The curriculum in mathematics should take into account both the learning requirement of learners who will leave school for working life, and of students who will pursue higher education. According to the NECRT Secondary School Curriculum 2002-2004 (Vol.1, Main Subjects) the suggested number of weekly periods per subject in grade X is as follows: Subject Language I Language II Mathematics Science and technology Social science Work education or pre-vocational education Art education Suggested number of periods in grade X 7 6 7 9 9 3 + 2 to 6 periods outside school hours 2 The boards, however, according to NCERT, often offer limited or no optional courses: two languages (one of which is English), mathematics, science and social sciences are the typical examination subjects. A few boards encourage students to choose an optional course from a range that includes economics, music and cookery. Higher secondary/Senior secondary education (2 years, grades XI–XII) The curriculum at this stage is divided into an academic stream and a vocational stream. Academic stream The objectives of academic courses are to promote problem-solving abilities and convey higher levels of knowledge. The curriculum at this stage comprises foundation courses and elective courses. Foundation courses consist of (i) language and literature, (ii) work education, and (iii) health and physical education, games and sports. The study of language prepares a student to both learn and use language in the classroom, the community and the workplace. The choice of the language to be studied is decided by the learner. Work education includes e. g. developmental projects in a village or city. Generic Vocational Courses (GVC) aim at developing employment-related generic skills regardless of the persons’ occupations. The student should choose three elective courses out of the subjects 9 prescribed by the boards. Elective courses may include bridging courses between the academic and vocational streams. The list of courses may include modern Indian languages, Sanskrit, classical European languages and their literatures, English (academic and specialised), other foreign languages, subjects in the sciences and mathematics, computer science, accountancy, business studies, engineering, political science, history, sociology, psychology, philosophy, fine arts and others. NCERT prescribes that courses should be listed together without dividing them into mutually exclusive groups. Nonetheless, several boards restrict the combinations in the form of a science stream, arts stream and commerce stream. Some schools tailor their classes to medical and engineering courses. Universities restrict admissions based on the subjects and combinations of courses studied in the +2 stage. Sixty percent of the instructional time is devoted to the instruction of elective subjects and forty percent to the foundation course. Vocational stream The introduction of the vocational stream was recommended by the central Kothari Commission (1964-66). The National Policy on Education, 1986 (revised 1992) set a target of twenty-five percent of higher secondary students in vocational courses by 1995. So far, enrolment is far below this. The courses for the vocational stream consist of: †¢ A language course †¢ A general foundation course †¢ Health and physical education, and †¢ Elective vocational courses Vocational education covers areas like agriculture, engineering and technology (including information and communication technology), business and commerce, home science, health and para-medical services and humanities. Language courses are organised to cover the grammatical structures and additional vocabulary particular to the trade or vocation. The general foundation course for the vocational stream comprises general studies, entrepreneurship development, environmental education, rural development and information and communication technology. Vocational electives are organised according to employment opportunities. Practical training is an essential component of the vocational courses, according to the National Curriculum Framework, with seventy percent of time devoted to vocational courses. The certificate issued should mention the competencies acquired and the credits earned. Organisation The organisation of teaching is based either on an annual or semester system. In most cases, a year’s course is divided into two parts to be covered in the two halves of an academic session in the annual system. Marks are accorded to a certain number of periods; the total mark is an average of marks accorded to the different parts of curriculum in an annual or semestrial examination (e. g. a paper corresponding to a 3-hour written examination). 10 The example below copied from the Senior School Curriculum 2007 (Central Board of Secondary Education) illustrates a typical curriculum (in history) and the maximum marks accorded to the different parts of the curriculum. History/Class XI Paper One Unit Part A Ancient India 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. . 30. Total Introduction Paleolithic Cultures and Beginning of settled Life Harappan Civilization The Early Vedic Period Later Vedic Phase and Iron Age South and North-East India Religious traditions Mahajanapada Mauryas Society, Economy and Culture during Mauryan period Post-Mauryan India The age of India from Guptas and after The Society and Culture in the age of Guptas and Harsha Project Work 100 marks 8 4 8 8 5 2 10 4 10 6 6 8 8 . 5 8 9 5 2 7 7 Time: 3 Hours Periods 100 Marks Marks. In the semester system, recommended by NCERT, students take a number of credit hours corresponding to their requirements and capacity, and at their own pace. However, only a few institutions have adopted the semester and credit system. National Curriculum Framework 2005 The National Curriculum Framework 2005 points out the need for plurality and flexibility within education while maintaining the standards of education in order to cover a growing variety of children. The Framework recommends that learning shifts away from rote methods and that the curriculum reduces and updates textbooks. Peace education is included as a dimension in education. The new curriculum proposes a broader spectrum of optional subjects, including the revalorisation of vocational options. Courses may be designed to offer optional modules, rather than trying to cover everything and overfilling courses too much. The National Curriculum Framework 2005 also proposes changes within the examination system (examinations for classes X and XII) allowing reasoning and creative abilities to replace memorisation. The children should be able to opt for different levels of attainment. Textbooks 11. Most states have legislated to create bodies for the preparation of syllabi and textbooks. The states have established various mechanisms for the preparation and approval of textual materials. However, a study in 2005, undertaken by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), of textbooks used in government schools (not following the CBSE syllabus) and in nongovernment schools (including social and religious schools) showed that many textbooks reinforce inequalities and neglect rural, tribal or female realities. According to NCERT Newsletter, in 2005, CABE proposed the institution of a National Textbook Council to monitor textbooks. Source: National Curriculum Framework 2000, National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), India National Curriculum Framework 2005, National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), India Newsletter July 2005, National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), India Senior School Curriculum 2007, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India, 2005 Examination and Assessment In all the states and Union Territories, public examinations are conducted at the end of classes X and XII by the respective State Boards of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. Ministry of Human Resource Development has published a list of recognised state boards for secondary and higher secondary education. The minimum age for admittance to the Secondary School Examination generally varies from 14+ to 16+. The minimum age for Higher Secondary School Examinations varies from 16+ to 18+ years. Some states/UTs do not have an age restriction. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), established by a special resolution of the Government of India in 1929, prescribes examination conditions and the conduct of public examinations at the end of Standard X and XII. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), Delhi, was established in 1958 by the University of Cambridge, Local Examinations Syndicate as a self-financing national examination board. The Council conducts the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (Standard X) and the Indian School Certificate (Standard XII) examinations. CISCE affiliates schools using English as a medium of instruction. The title of the final qualification varies depending upon the examining body. The titles used by the central examining boards are: CBSE: †¢ All India Secondary School Certificate (Standard X). †¢ All India Senior School Certificate (Standard XII). 12 CISCE: †¢ Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE Standard X). †¢ Indian School Certificate (ISC Standard XII). †¢ Certificate of Vocational Education (CVE XII). Information from the procedure of the All India Senior School Certificate (Standard XII) (extract): The Board conducts examination in all subjects except General Studies, Work Experience, Physical and Health Education, which will be assessed internally by the schools based on cumulative records of students periodical achievements and progress during the year. In all subjects examined by the Board, a student will be given one paper each carrying 100 marks for 3 hours. However, in subjects requiring practical examination, there will be a theory paper and a practical examination as required in the syllabi and courses. A candidate may offer an additional subject that can be either a language at elective level or another elective subject as prescribed in the Scheme of Studies, subject to the conditions laid down in the Pass Criteria. A candidate will get the Pass Certificate of the Board, if he/she gets a grade higher than E in all subjects of internal assessment unless he/she is exempted. Failing this, result of the external examination will be withheld but not for a period of more than one year. In order to be declared as having passed the examination, a candidate shall obtain a grade higher than E (i. e. at least 33% marks) in all the five subjects of external examination in the main or at the compartmental examinations. The pass marks in each subject of external examination shall be 33%. In case of a subject involving practical work a candidate must obtain 33% marks in theory and 33% marks in practical separately in addition to 33% marks in aggregate in order to qualify in that subject. A candidate failing in two of the five subjects of external examination shall be placed in compartment in those subjects provided he/she qualifies in all the subjects of internal assessment. A candidate who has failed in the examination in the first attempt shall be required, to re-appear in all the subjects at the subsequent annual examination of the Board. A candidate who has passed the Senior School Certificate Examination of the Board may offer an additional subject as a private candidate provided the additional subject is provided in the Scheme of Studies and is offered within six years of passing the examination of the Board. A candidate who has passed an examination of the Board may reappear for improvement of performance in one or more subject(s) in the main examination in the succeeding year only; however, a candidate who has passed an examination of the Board under Vocational Scheme may reappear for improvement of performance in one or more subject{s) in the main examination in the succeeding year or in the following year provided he/she has not pursued higher studies in the mean time. He /she will appear as private candidate. Candidates who appear for improvement of performance will be issued only Statement of Marks reflecting the marks of the main examination as well as those of the improvement examination. Central Board of Secondary Education Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is one of the three national boards of secondary education in India. CBSE has affiliated around 8,300 schools including government and independent 13 schools. It also affiliates schools in some 20 African and Asian countries. About 200 new schools are affiliated each year. Study teams conduct regular inspections of the affiliated institutions. CBSE has a central office and 6 regional offices. Permanent affiliation is obtained after a number of years. Affiliation is granted according to strict criteria. A list of affiliated schools can be found on CBSE s website: http://www. cbse. nic. in. The major objective is to prescribe conditions of examinations and conduct public examinations at the end of Classes X and XII and to grant certificates to successful candidates of the affiliated schools. All affiliated schools follow the national scheme of 10+2. Here is an example of testimonial for All India Senior School Certificate Examination from 2000: CBSE is regulated but not financed by the central government. Financing is assured by fees from the affiliated schools. CBSE accepts private candidates. CBSE develops its curriculum on the basis of the national curriculum framework. The curriculum is revised every 5 to 10 years. Two of the front line curriculum subjects are revised every year. According to CBSE, it strives notably to adapt current teaching methods and content of teaching to an innovative and creative society in the form of subjects such as functional English, bio-technology, entrepreneurship, life skills education, and disaster management. An important objective is the destressing of education, including no homework or examinations in grades I and II and only achievement reports in grades III-V. Information technology is compulsory in grades IX +X. Language studies include a possible 27 different languages besides Hindi and English. One teacher may teach four subjects up to grade X.

Essay --

From Poverty to Powerhouse: Michael Oher’s Story Michael Oher was from an all-black neighborhood located in the third poorest zip code in the country. By the time he was a sophomore, he’d been to 11 different schools, he couldn’t read or write, and he had a GPA of 0.6. In his first-grade year alone, he missed 41 days of school and ended up repeating both the first and the second grade; he didn’t even go to the third grade. Oher was one of the thousands of children that have been identified as having four or more of the at-risk factors mentioned by the National Center of Education and Statistics (NCES). According to the NCES, poverty and race are high on the list of things that negatively affect students’ ability to succeed at school. Other risk factors include changing schools multiple times and being held back from one or more grades. Oher’s biography, The Blind Side by Michael Lewis, proves how socioeconomic status impacts a child’s academic success because placed in perspective, educati on is not as important as the hardships of reality. Before explaining how The Blind Side depicted the effects of socioeconomic status on Michael Oher’s education, it is important to make clear what it means to â€Å"prove.† According to Oxford Dictionaries, â€Å"prove† means â€Å"to demonstrate one’s abilities or courage† (â€Å"Prove† 1.5). The Merriam Webster Dictionary gave other definitions including â€Å"to show that (someone or something) has a particular quality or ability (â€Å"Prove† 1); â€Å"to test the worth or quality of, specifically: to compare against a standard† (â€Å"Prove† 2b), and â€Å"to show oneself to be worthy or capable of† (â€Å"Prove† 4). All of the above definitions of â€Å"prove† have a form of the words â€Å"quality† or â€Å"ability† in them. An example of this is when... ...nomic status. In 2012, 26.5 million (13.7 percent) of people ages 18-64 were in poverty. Also in 2012, 16.1 million (21.8 percent) children under the age of 18 were in poverty. The hardships this creates causes education to suffer. It has to take a backseat to finding food or a place to sleep. These children’s families are at-risk for dropping out of school compared to higher socioeconomic students. That number is going to continue to grow with the current rate of population growth. In contrast, children from higher socioeconomic families do better in school. When the Tuohy’s brought Michael into their life, his opportunities for education improved. What happened to Michael Oher was unique because of his special abilities, his courage, and the help from the Toughy’s. Michael’s story shows how socioeconomics can impact students’ academic success. Appendix